The get-in is on Allen Road in Finger Lakes Trail map CT5, but the road shoulders are horrendously steep and are very narrow. So, it is recommended to use the access at Genesee Road (not the one by the airport but the one that passes through Sardinia, NY) where very adequate parking is readily found in the Erie County Forest parking lot on the south side of Genesee Road. Cross the road diagonally to follow the CT. Take the trail northbound to the high point of the trail (1,860 feet per my old blue map (BJD- before Joe Dabes) ). The highest point is perpendicular to the trail to the west and is self-evident (no signage to verify that). Unfortunately, it is located on private property so please do not leave the trail to actually touch the highest point in the county (1,950 feet). The hike is about 4.9 miles round trip from the Genesee Road parking lot and is mostly in Erie County Forest.

The high point is directly behind the home located at 11290 Allen Road and the FLT passes the home on the road and continues east on the road for about 100 yards before the trail turns south through a landowner’s side yard. That landowner was joyous to see hikers using the trail and was very reassuring that the highest point was just off the trail although he had never been there himself. Contact Jerry Lazarczyk at lazarcg1@netzero.com.

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Hi, I am actually from this area and have a question. I grew up believing that the highest point in Erie County was actually near the intersection of Center Street and Holland Glenwood Road in Holland, NY (it’s also listed as Glenwood, NY because Holland Glenwood intersects a second time later on down the road). My reason for this, is that there used to be (or still is, I hope) a historical marker/sign on Center St between the two intersections of Holland Glenwood Road, that says it is the highest point in Erie County. Why is this?

I looked at a topographic map and noticed that while that area is in fact one of the highest locations (1700-1780 feet), there are higher locations south such as the one you mention in the article above. Why would they post this historical marker saying it’s the highest point in the county, when it’s not? The topographic map I looked at outdates the sign, I think. This doesn’t make any sense to me, and I am pretty disappointed that I was led to believe and be kinda proud of something that was actually false this entire time…

Hi Erie1700,
All I can say is that surveying and measurement techniques have improved over the years. Maybe the historical marker marks the best data available at the time & was since proven wrong.
Author Gary Fallesen in his guidebook “Peak Experiences – Hiking the Highest Summits in NY, County by County” says a survey was done in the 1960’s by the Geodetic survey team and came up with Sardinia mark as the highest point in Erie County. His book makes fun reading & even more fun adventures finding the high points, find it at http://www.footprintpress.com.

Thanks for the response. What’s odd is, about 200 yards down the road is an elevation that is about 80 to 100 feet higher than where the marker is. In fact, it’s so obvious that you can see that higher elevation point from where you are standing, which doesn’t make any sense.

Anyway, did you get any photos from the true high point near Allen and Genesee, or is it all woods?